GREENSBORO, N.C. - Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brian Snowden of Reed Springs, Mo., dominated the first two days of the Bassmaster American bass fishing tournament at High Rock Lake. Now he gets to start over as Snowden and the 11 other anglers qualifying for Saturday's action will have their weights zeroed with the action moving to Lake Townsend, a small water supply reservoir in Greensboro.
Snowden's two-day total was 40 pounds, 3 ounces, nearly seven pounds ahead of second place John Murray of Phoenix, Ariz., who totaled 33-9.
At Townsend, the anglers will compete on a pre-designated six-hole "course." Day one weights will carry over as the top six from Saturday's action will advance to the final day and compete for the tournament's $250,000 top prize.
Rounding out the top-five anglers to advance were Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., in third with 33 pounds, 7 ounces; Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., in fourth with 30 pounds, 5 ounces; and Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., in fifth with 29 pounds, 11 ounces.
Like many of the 51 pros in the event, Snowden struggled during pre-tournament practice to find a solid pattern at High Rock, where many bass are in a post-spawn transition phase.
"It was a lot of fun," said Snowden, a two-time BASS runner-up still seeking his first win, of his first two days.
Late in his final practice day, the 34-year-old caught a couple of nice fish flipping the shallows, so he stayed with the technique during the tournament.
Snowden had two good fish early Friday but the action didn't really explode until the sun got high and bass moved into shady spots tight to shoreline cover. Flipping a black and blue creature bait and a black, brown and chartreuse jig, Snowden caught 15 keepers between 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Moving up from 15th place, Murray focused on an underwater rock pile Friday just 20 yards across, a place he'd found late on Day One.
"I caught two there the last 20 minutes Thursday," said Murray. "So I just went to that rock pile and stayed all day." Murray said he was looking forward to moving to Townsend, and for good reason. He has had success in tournaments with little practice and the qualifying competitors were only allowed to drive on Lake Townsend, giving them little knowledge of the fishery.
"I'd rather go without practice," Murray said.
Snowden wasn't quite as enthusiastic.
"I'm definitely a slower, more patient angler," said the three-time Classic qualifier, who added that he thought the other 11 anglers would also be challenged to develop patterns on their first day on the water. "I think for everyone that goes out there it will be somewhat of a practice day."
Meanwhile, Randy Moffitt of Oak Island, N.C., won a fully rigged Triton boat package Friday. The 41-year-old Moffitt served as an observer with Fred Roumbanis, who caught the Purolator Big Bass of the Day Friday, a 6-6 lunker.
2007 Bassmaster American 5/17-5/20
High Rock Lake, Greensboro NC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 40-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 21-09
2. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 9 33-09 0 0
Day 1: 4 14-01 Day 2: 5 19-08
3. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 33-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 19-08 Day 2: 5 13-15
4. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 10 30-05 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 11-14
5. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 29-11 0 0
Day 1: 5 17-02 Day 2: 5 12-09
6. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 8 29-10 0 0
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 5 21-09
7. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 10 28-15 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 17-03
8. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 10 28-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 13-04
9. Ray Sedgwick Cross, SC 10 28-06 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-11 Day 2: 5 15-11
10. Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 8 28-04 0 0
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 4 16-11
11. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 28-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 13-10
12. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 10 28-00 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 14-02
13. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 10 27-08 0 11700
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 15-04
14. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 27-01 0 11550
Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 12-02
14. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 9 27-01 0 11550
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 4 11-01
16. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 10 26-14 0 11400
Day 1: 5 11-13 Day 2: 5 15-01
17. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 26-01 0 11300
Day 1: 5 14-02 Day 2: 5 11-15
18. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 10 25-15 0 11200
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-08
19. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 25-13 0 11000
Day 1: 5 11-04 Day 2: 5 14-09
19. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 25-13 0 11000
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 14-01
19. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 25-13 0 11000
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-10
22. John Crews Salem, VA 10 25-03 0 10800
Day 1: 5 13-02 Day 2: 5 12-01
23. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville , FL 10 24-15 0 10700
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 10-09
24. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 24-10 0 10600
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 09-00
25. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, FL 8 24-09 0 10500
Day 1: 5 16-01 Day 2: 3 08-08
26. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 10 24-08 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 12-01
27. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 10 24-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-05 Day 2: 5 10-14
28. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 8 24-00 0 0
Day 1: 5 17-10 Day 2: 3 06-06
29. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 23-00 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 12-00
30. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 22-10 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 09-13
31. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 22-07 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-13 Day 2: 5 11-10
32. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 22-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-08
33. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 21-13 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 10-11
34. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 21-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 08-12
35. Greg Gutierrez Red Bluff, CA 8 20-04 0 0
Day 1: 3 08-09 Day 2: 5 11-11
36. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 9 20-01 0 0
Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 4 10-03
37. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 19-14 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 08-06
38. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 19-11 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 09-10
39. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 10 19-01 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 5 08-05
40. Chris Lane Winter Haven, FL 9 18-07 0 0
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 5 10-12
41. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 7 17-10 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 2 07-01
42. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 6 17-09 0 0
Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 5 15-11
43. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 8 16-08 0 0
Day 1: 5 10-02 Day 2: 3 06-06
44. Derek Remitz Madison, TX 7 16-02 0 0
Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 2 03-13
45. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 8 15-01 0 0
Day 1: 4 06-06 Day 2: 4 08-11
46. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 6 14-13 0 0
Day 1: 4 08-03 Day 2: 2 06-10
47. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 7 12-04 0 0
Day 1: 2 04-07 Day 2: 5 07-13
48. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 4 06-14 0 0
Day 1: 3 05-01 Day 2: 1 01-13
49. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 2 03-00 0 0
Day 1: 2 03-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
50. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 0 00-00 0 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
50. Zell Rowland Montgomery, TX 0 00-00 0 0
Day 1: 0 00-00 Day 2: 0 00-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 06-09 $1000
2 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 06-06 $1000
Big Bag
Day
1 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 19-08 $500
2 Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 21-09 $500
2 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 21-09 $500
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 224 588-15
2 37 217 558-06
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75 441 1147-05